Mail-call mailbox signalling system



Dec. 7, 1965 c. H. TRAcY MAIL-CALL MAILBOX SIGNALLING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 30, 1964 "48 FIG .2.

INVENTOR Charles H .Tracy W MW; W

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ATTORNEYS Dec. 7, 1965 c. H. TRAcY MAIL-'CALL MAILBOX SIGNALLING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 30, 1964 FIG.5.

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United States Patent O 3,222,665 MAIL-CALL MAILBOX SIGNALLING SYSTEM Charles H. Tracy, 108 Nursery St., Ashland, Oreg. Filed Jan. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 341,193 1 Claim. (Cl. 340-281) This invention relates generally to a mail box having a signal means built therein with a remote indicator, and more particularly, to an apparatus that signals when mail has been placed in the mail box.

Heretofore, certain mail boxes have had remote signaling means built therein. In particular these mail boxes have lbeen of the type used in apartment houses and usually include a switch operated by the letter or letters when placed in the box, the indicating means usually being of a combination of a buzzer or lamp type.

Certain signaling systems, such as shown in U.S. Patent 3,040,14l, do not use the indicator system which will leave an indication that mail has been delivered after the current is neutral.

With a sound system, one must be within audible range to know when mail has been delivered.

If a wire was cut after the mail was delivered Operating by a light system, the light globe would go out indicating NO MAIL, but with the indicator system, the indicator would still indicate MAIL.

The device of the present invention will permit the bell to ring continuously during the entire movement of the lid because of the two movable contact points which will permit this form of operation. A double lever switch will serve the purpose as Well.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide mail box with remote signaling means having the operating mechanism contained within the box in a water-tight compartment.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mail box having a slot therein for the insertion of mail and a closure member for said slot, said closure member Operating a signaling system contained Within the box so as to be protected from the weather.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a mail box signaling system where the indicator does not include a lamp which may or may not be burned out, and which will indicate when the mail has been delivered and will retain the indicator in this position until manually reset.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following description which is given for the purposes of example only and is not a limitation on the invention.

FIGURE l is a perspective view, partially in section showing the mail box and the indicator.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional View showing the switch mechanism in an open position.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the switch mechanism in a closed position.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of two closure members of the series using the mail-call signalling system.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view on line 5-5 of FIG. 4, showing the box in the closed position.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional View on line 6-6 of FIG. 4 showing the box in the open position.

FIGURE 7 is a detailed perspective view of the switch mechanism shown in FIG. 5, in the open position.

FIGURE 8 is a figure similar to FIG. 7, showing the switch in the closed position.

FIGURE 9 is a Vertical view of the switch mechanism as shown in FIG. 7.

A mail box 10 has a rear panel 11 and a front panel 12. The rear panel 11 has an opening 13 therein of sufficient size to permit the removal of the mail. This opening 13 has a closure 14 hinged at one edge by means of 3,2Z2,665 Patented Dec. 7, 1965 Pice the hinges 15 and 16 and retained in the closed position by means of the retaining member 17. This may be a simple catch, or it may be a combination lock or a hasp and a padlock. The front panel 12 has a mail slot 18 therein. This is provided with a pivoted closure member 19 having the front portion 20 overlying said slot 18 and having a rear portion 21 within the box and loading means 22 which may be of either the spring type or the weight type to retain the closure member 19 in a closed position. Near the lower edge of the rear portion 21 of this closure member is a circular opening 23 having an insulating washer 24 therein. This washer may be of the usual rubber type or fiber but is preferably made of a low friction polymeric material such as Tefion.

Located in the upper portion of the mail box 10 and overlying the rear portion 21 of the closure member 19 is a housing 25. This housing is attached to and made a part of the upper portion of the mail box so as to be retained in water-tight engagement therewith. The lower part of the housing 25 has an opening 26 therein. Suspended in this opening in pivoted engagement with the housing is a first contact bar 27 having a lower portion extending downwardly from the housing through the insulating washer 24 and having a weight loading means 28 on the lower end thereof. The upper end of the contact bar 27 extends upwardly into the housing 25. The upper end 29 of this bar aots as an electrical contact with a second bar 30 which is pivoted at its upper end in the housing 25 and has a spring loading means 31 thereon to force the lower end 32 of the contact bar 30 towards the portion 29 of the contact bar 27. Electrical leads 35 and 36 are connected to the contact bars 27 and 30 respectively. These leads may be placed underground or they may be placed overhead to connect with an indicating system 40 remotely placed from the mail box 10.

A source of power 39 is placed within the circuit and may comprise batteries, or a power transformer or any other source of electrical energy.

The indicator 40 comprises a dial 41 having a hand 42 pivoted at 43 near the lower edge thereof. This dial is equipped with a first position indicator 44 and a second indicating position 45 and a looking means 46 to retain the 'hand in the second postiion when it is forced into this position. A bell 47 is optionally included within this circuit.

The indicator is so constructed that when the closure member 19 is raised that the first contact bar 27 is forced rearwardly by the rear portion of the closure member 19 and the contact 29 of this bar will close the circuit with the contact 32 of the bar 30. This will energize the circuits 35 and 36 and the hand 42 on the indicator dial 40 will be moved from the first position to the second position and will be retained in this second position by the retaining means 46 until manually replaced into the first position. The bell 47, if it is connected in the circuit will ring to give an audible indication that the mail has been delivered. When the contact 26 forms the circuit with the contact 32 this circuit is maintained against the spring loading means 31 and does not prevent the closure member 19 from being raised beyond the point at which contacts are made. That is, a yielding contact is formed.

This device has the advantage of being capable of being used out of doors. It is designed for and may be used in rural districts, but is not limited thereto. All of the contacts within the box are of such a nature that they are completely protected from the weather. The indicator will indicate when the mail is placed in the box and will continue to so indicate until the hand is manually reset. Therefore, if there is no one in the house when the mail is delivered and the contact is broken on completion of delivery the indicator will continue to so indicate that mail has been delivered to inform a person returning to the house that mail has been delivered. There will be no fiow of current through the circuit once the mail has been inserted within the slot. This therefore permits the use of batteries as a source of power as there is no continuous drain on the power source, as indcated above. This mail box is particularly desirable for ranch or rural home use. Another advantage of this device is that the mail delivery slot is at one end of the mail box and the access opening is at the opposite end of the mail box. This allows the removal of the mail from the rear of the box Without approaching the front or the side adjacent to the roadway and thereby protects the person removing the mail from traflic hazards.

A modification of the mail-call signalling system is shown in FIGURES 4 to 9 inclusive. A front panel 50 has the closure member 51 mounted thereon by means of the hinge element 52 and has an inner extension 53 within the box, taking the position shown in FIGURE when the box is closed. Mounted in the top of the box is a switch mechanism 54 which comprises a housing 55 having two connectors 56 and 57 mounted on one end thereof in an insulating plate 58. The inner contacts 59 and 60 are aligned inithe upper part of the housing 55. A switch bar is pivoted at 62 as shown in FIGURES 7, 8 and 9. A toggle switch element 63 is pivoted at 64 which pivot is below and behind pivot 62. This toggle switch element has arms 65 and 66 spring biassing means 67 connecting said switch bar and said toggle element.

In operation, when the closure member is in the closed position, shown in FIGURE 5, the switch is in the position shown in FIGURE 7 and does not close the contacts 59 and 60. When the closure member 51 is raised, as shown in FIGURE 6, the inner extension 53 Strikes the arm 65 and forces the toggle and switch into the position shown in FIGURE S and the switch bar is brought into contact with the elements 59 and 60 and closes the circuit. This activates the electrical wiring connected at 56 and 57 and allows the indicator, similar to the indicator shown in FIGURE 1, to show that the mail box has been opened.

The device of this modification has all the advantages of the device shown in FIGURE 1 and will indicate that the box has been opened and will continue to so indicate until such a time as the indicating system has been manually reset.

While in the above description a preferred embodiment of this invention is disclosed, the invention is not limited by this description, but is limited only by the claims attached hereto.

What is claimed is:

A mail box signalling system comprising in combination:

(a) a mail box having a front panel, a rear panel and a joining member, said front panel having a slot therein and a pivoted closure member normally closing said slot, said pivoted closure member having a unitary extension within said box,

(b) a switch mechanism mounted within the upper portion of said mail box, said switch mechanism comprising two contacts and a switch bar pivoted at its lower end, a toggle element pivotally mounted within said switch mechanism below and behind the pivot on said switch bar, a spring biassing means connecting said switch bar and said toggle element, said toggle element comprising two arms which are contacted by said extension member on said closure member so as to rotate said toggle member on opening and closing said closure member,

(c) an indicator comprising a dial having a hand pivoted near its lower edge thereof, said hand normally pointing to a first position and having a second position indicated on said dial with spring loaded retaining means to retain the hand in the second position, when it assumes this position, said dial having a bell connected thereto,

(d) an electrical conduit, including a source of power, connecting said mail call double lever switch and said mail call dial so that when the closure member on the mail slot is raised the circuit is completed and forces the hand on said dial into the second position and locks the same in this position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,124,352 1/1915 Stegermann 200 61.63 X 1,307,305 6/1919 Newquist 200-6163 X 1,442,578 1/1923 Landrum 232-36 1,808,235 6/1931 Lang 232-36 2,438,785 3/1948 McKallick 232-36 2,759,057 8/1956 Whildin 232-36 2,921,734 1/1960 Whildin 232-36 3,040,141 6/1962 Whildin 232-36 FOREIGN PATENTS 553,249 5/1923 France. 563,187 11/1923 France.

NEIL C. READ, Primary Examinr.

FRANK B. SHERRY, I. S. PETRIE, R. M. GOLDMAN, Assistant Examners. 

